The present invention has essentially for a subject matter a fastening clip device which can be used for holding together any grouped objects, such as for example documents, or which can constitute a nut allowing, for example, fastening of a panel to another panel.
Clip attachments have already been known for a long time which are made of metal or of plastic and which are in the form of a substantially U-shaped, resiliently deformable element adapted to be fitted by its legs onto the edge of an object. But the placing of the clip on the object is often difficult to perform because its legs are initially preloaded in closed position and they therefore have to be moved apart to allow its fitting onto the object or objects. Consequently, if the thickness of the group of objects to be gripped is important, the clip legs must be moved apart to a great extent, which is an arduous operation during which the user of the clip even risks being injured. Moreover, when fitting the clip, its legs rubbing against the object may spoil it.
The same kinds of disadvantages are inherent in the fastening devices of the above kind constituting fastening nut devices.
Such devices are generally in the form of a U-shaped metal element with resiliently deformable legs which is fitted onto the edge of a panel and which allows fastening the same to another panel by means of a screw extending right through both panels and both legs of the U-shaped element and screwed into one of the legs. Also in this case, and as explained above, the mounting may be difficult to perform, especially where the nut has to be mounted on panels of great thickness, with the attendant risk of scratching of the panels. Moreover, if the mounting has to be performed on panels of soft material or of plastic material, the legs of the U-shaped nut element are likely to remove chips from the surface of the panel, which of course is undesirable. Lastly, such U-shaped nut attachments poorly withstand the pushing or compression stresses produced during the screwing, especially where the latter is performed by screwing machines. This results in deteriorating of the attachment and necessitating its replacement.